The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-08
THE PABALYTIC.

II is reported that JESUS became famous
as healer, and there were brought unto him
"all that we're sick, having various diseases,
torments, possessed with demons, and cpl
leptic and palsy; and he healed them" NV.
24). Examples are given of the various dis
eases healed by him. Our Lesson is an &C.
count of the miraculous healing of "a man
sick of the palsy that was brought to him
lying on bed, or Mattress. Palsy is the
translation of a Greek word, parGttuses,
from which our word paralysis is derived.
The sick man was probably paralytic,
whose friends brought him to the wonderful
Teacher and healer. "And JESUS perceiving
their faith, said to the paralytic, Courage,
child (son), your sins are forgiven The
manner in which the afflicted man was
brought into JESUS presence manifested de-
termined faith. By Mark and Luke we are
informed that JESUS was teaching in house,
and that the crowd was so great that the four
men who carried him on couch could not
get near the door, and they aecended to the
roof, portion of which they removed, and
lowered the cot through the opening, and
placed the sick man in JESUS presence MARK
ii. IA; Luke v. 17-19).
Among the crowds that gathered to hear
the new Teacher and behold his wonders
were Scribes and Pharisees ''having come
out of all the village of Galilee and Judea,
and from Jerusalem" They were offended
by the announcement of JESUS that the mans
sins were forgiven, and declared among
themselves that he was a blasphemer since
God only had power to forgive sins. This
charge of blasphemy was repeated By the
Jewish leaders throughout JESUS public min
istry and was the accusation upon which he
was finally condemned to death (John v. IL;
K. 80; Matthew XVI. 65-66., JESUS, perceiv-
ing the luminosity of the Scribes, mildly re-
buked their ill feeling toward him, and in
CURED Which is easier to say, Your sins
are forgiven, or to say, Arise and walk? "
1t is implied that the first is easier to say.
There might be deception about the forgive
ness for no one could tell if the absolution
were of any avail, but there could be none
respecting the cure of helpless paralytic.
He would therefore choose the more difficult
and say to the man, "Arise, take up thy bed
or mat, and go home," and thus prove his
authority for declaring the forgiveness of
sin.
The mans sickness may have been the re-
suit of sinful dissipation, or it may have
been the means of arousing his conscience to
a sense of his sinfulness. In either case he
needed the assurance that his sins were for
given. JESUS said to the man, whom he
cured at the pool of Bethesda, probably of
similar disease, :" Sin no more, lest some
thing worse befall you" John V. 14). The
idea appears to have been prevalent among
the Jews that all such peculiar affections
were the consequences of sin. That JESUS
did not share in this belief, is evident from
his reply to the question concerning the man
born blind, to whom he gave sight: "Who
sinned, the man or his parentsr (John tx. p.
At the command of JESUS the man arose IN
the presence of all and went home rejoicing,
carrying the mat upon which he had been
lying. The crowds who witnessed it were
filled with awe and "praised GoD who had
given such authority to men," 1t is worthy
of special notice that the miracle was wrought
by JESUS to prove to the Scribes, who muir
INJURED, and to all who witnessed, "that the
Son of Man has authority on the earth to
forgive ains.o